Teacher allegedly kicked student, withheld food

Redwood City

Published 4:00 am, Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Alexia Bogdis, a special education teacher in Redwood City charged in February 2012 with nine misdemeanor counts related to alleged child abuse at Roosevelt Elementary School.

Alexia Bogdis, a special education teacher in Redwood City charged in February 2012 with nine misdemeanor counts related to alleged child abuse at Roosevelt Elementary School.

Photo: San Mateo County Sheriff, Courtesy Photo

Teacher allegedly kicked student, withheld food

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A Redwood City special education teacher has been charged with child abuse for allegedly slapping and kicking one 5-year-old student and depriving another of food and twisting his arm, authorities said Monday.

Alexia Bogdis, 43, of Millbrae has been charged with five counts of child cruelty and four counts of battery on school grounds, all misdemeanors, said Karen Guidotti, San Mateo County's chief deputy district attorney.

Over the past few months, Bogdis allegedly slapped a 5-year-old boy at Roosevelt Elementary School and kicked him in the stomach. She also kicked the back of another 5-year-old boy's chair, twisted his wrist and withheld food from him, Guidotti said.

Bogdis surrendered to Redwood City police on Saturday and was booked at County Jail. She posted $15,000 bail and is to appear in court on March 1. She did not respond to a request for comment.

Bogdis was placed on paid administrative leave Wednesday by the Redwood City School District.

"We have zero tolerance toward violence of any kind at our schools," Superintendent Jan Christensen said. "If there is verification of actual physical abuse toward any student by any staff member, I will recommend to the school board that the employee be terminated."